LeoRaiWeek and TMNTflashfic Inspired
by adeepestblue
Summary: These are a collection of pieces done for LeoRaiWeek and TMNTflashfic inspired that do not occur within The Shadows AU I have created. The prompt is the title of each piece. One shots mostly. Enjoy!
1. LeoRaiWeek - Injured

Injured

Verse: 2012, early on

Prompt: Their lives are in the darkness of rooftops and shadows. They had been sparring for weeks now while out on patrol, but what happens after an injury occurs that forces them both out of the shadows?

The night was quiet and cold, a moderate dusting of snow covering the sidewalks and buildings of the city block. Most of the buildings were equally quiet and cold. Few if any windows had lights on, and nothing appeared to be moving. The thin blanket of snow was illuminated under the streetlamps, giving the scene a glow in the middle of the night. High above though, four stories up, the still was split open by the _ting_ and _clang_ of katana striking, metal on metal, the weapons singing through the air as they sought their mark.

Leo and Karai sparred, as they had done most nights for the past several weeks. Out on patrol, they inevitably came across one another – typically she thinking she was sneaking up on him, and him always aware of her presence before she revealed herself. Both kicked up clouds of dust as they sparred, their feet scraping swiftly across the rooftop. The dance continued like this, her advancing and him receiving. Although they had been bantering earlier upon the start of tonight's performance, they were mostly quiet now – focused. Both creatures of the night, her dark suit and gun metal armor and his dark green skin and blue mask blurs against the white dusted rooftop.

"I. Had thought. You. Might. Want to. Talk." Leo grunted in between strikes and blocks. "At least. At some point." He glared over their swords at her, but there was no anger or fury in the look. In fact, a hint of curiosity tinged his eyes as he watched his opponent.

She smiled and cocked her left eyebrow, pressing her blade against him, causing a pause in their dance. "Talking is complicated" she stated sharply, "and I need something simple right now." With the last word, she slid to the right and struck out, forcing Leo to bend sharply at the waist to block her. Quickly, she skipped backwards, putting six feet between them. Both were breathing deeply, engaged and focused on the sparring and everything else faded away. She struck a casual pose, her shoulders relaxed and her head cocked to one side.

"But…. If we were to. Talk. What would we talk about?" she mused, and he couldn't tell if she was talking more to him or to herself. He relaxed his grip slightly on his katana, and stood up a bit straighter, unlocking his stance.

"Uh…" his eyes darted side to side, trying to come up with a topic that even remotely made sense. After a moment, she chuckled softly.

"See? Not so simple is it?" she smiled and brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. Without warning, without even a preparatory step, she jumped to the right, arcing in a perfect somersault. When she landed, a quick flick of her right wrist sent three kunai sailing through the air, directly at him. Leo locked his stance immediately, caught off guard by her jump and now the three daggers on a deadly trajectory for him. Reaching over his right shoulder, he deftly unsheathed his other katana, whipping it in a blur through the air. His eyes slammed shut on reflex when the three kunai made contact with his katana as he swept the swords to his left across his body, deflecting the daggers to the left and towards the next building. Immediately his eyes were back open, and he instinctively followed the path of the daggers in the air to make sure they landed in the wall of the building, where he had intended.

But that didn't happen. He watched, in slow motion, his mouth dropping open silently, as the three kunai missed their mark. Instead of slicing into the, what he realized now was brick, wall of the neighboring building, the three daggers sailed on through the air, missing the end of the wall by mere millimeters. The third one, lowest in the arc, tinged against the corner of the wall and began spinning, falling out of the perfect alignment of the other two. It flipped, end over end, following its brethren but falling farther and farther behind and lower and lower. In the silence, he watched, helpless, as the slivers of metal disappeared past the edge of the building and the edge of the rooftop and out of sight.

From below, a quiet, sharp shriek of surprise and pain rose…. And then nothing.

Both Leo and Karai stood frozen, both holding their breath. Then suddenly, both of them were moving. Leo dropped his katana and barreled to the edge of the rooftop, catching himself on the edge and pressing his chest against it, leaning over to look down. Karai was next to him less than an instant later, her wide green eyes scanning the landscape.

"There." She pointed, not at a person, but to a growing discoloration in the snow. Snaking around the corner of the building, the blood looked almost black.

"Oh no," Leo gasped, his eyes widening. He shifted his weight and placed his right food on the rooftop edge, but as he was about to push himself up and over, Karai grabbed his arm.

"WHAT are you doing?" she seethed through gritted teeth, her eyes locked on his, her brow furrowing and knitting together.

"I have to go down the…" he began but was cut off by her rough pull on his arm, yanking him off balance and back from the rooftop edge.

"You can't go down there. YOU can't be seen!" she punctuated her words with harsh jabs to his chest, jostling his balance as he kept looking at the edge of the building.

"But… but we can't just NOT do anything!" He growled back at her, shoving her shoulder and putting his weight behind it. Surprised by the action, she stumbled two steps. In that break, he vaulted over the edge of the building, landing on the neighboring building's fire escape a floor down, and then jumped the last thirty feet down, tucking into a roll into the nearest shadow. He scuttled across the ground, slightly panicked and he couldn't honestly tell if he was more scared of being seen or what he was about to see. He hugged against the wall and craned his neck to look around the corner.

The woman lay on her back on the ground, not moving. The three kunai had struck her, all at the same time but in three separate places. The first dug into her upper right chest, just underneath her collarbone. The second was in the meat of her shoulder, and the third, much farther down, had punctured her outer, upper thigh. From his vantage point a few feet from her, he could see she was breathing. Around her, toppled over as if slapped from her hands, was a small beige purse and a tote bag with assorted notebooks, binders and a textbook spilled out into the snow. Her jeans were dark with blood on her thigh, and the heavy, oversized sweatshirt was also stained.

"Shit" Karai appeared next to him. Although her words came out harsh, he glanced at her face and saw it had paled to an ashen hue, and her eyes were still wide and almost glassy with panic and fear.

Leo reached into his belt for his phone, but came up empty. He closed his eyes and huffed angrily. He had left his phone at home in his room, specifically so that no one could call him while he was out and interrupt his time with Karai. Now however, he also couldn't call for help or advice. They sat there, immobilized by the scene before them. They had both gotten cuts and scrapes, a few serious bruises and strained muscles, but in their 16 years, neither had seen something like this up close, in real life. Next to him, Karai was breathing faster, and more shallow. He was started to tremble, his mind racing but ricocheting around with indecision, fear, and uncertainty.

The woman on the ground moaned lowly, and her left arm twitched. Her fingers flexed and curled closed. They could see her body start to tremble.

"Call 911" Leo whispered, barely hearing himself. He leaned farther forward, scanning the empty street and darkened windows. He began to crawl around the corner, flattening himself against the brick. He inched towards the woman, watching her intently as if she would suddenly sit up or scramble away. He slid on the ground past her feet and up towards her head, the metallic smell of blood curdling in his mouth. He froze, and closed his eyes, willing himself to move again. Behind him, Karai let out a string of curses as he drew away from her. He tentatively reached out and, with just a fingertip, touched the woman's left hand. When the woman didn't react, his brow furrowed and he swept his eyes over to her chest, watching for movement. To his relief, her chest moved up and down, but very shallowly.

Karai was suddenly across from him, on the woman's other side. Her eyes were locked on the kunai sticking out of the woman's chest and shoulder, and then flitted down to the one in her thigh.

"Call 911" Leo stated, more loudly than the first time. He gently, carefully, laid his hand on the woman's left shoulder, and he immediately felt the unnatural heat radiating off of her. The woman's mouth started to move, gaping open and shut like a fish, and her eyelids fluttered by did not open. He suddenly realized that he couldn't leave the kunai in her like this, but he dared not pull them out until he knew that help was coming.

Karai remained silent, her eyes rounded and wide.

"Karai!" Leo snapped, "You have to call 911!"

Karai swiveled her head in his direction as if she was seeing him for the first time, like he had just materialized before her. Slowly, her face regained its color, and hardened. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"No"

"We can't just leave her here Karai! This is bad, really bad! It's – "

"We also can't be seen Leo! Neither of us! I don't – I don't think these are lethal. Like not her heart. Someone else can call." Her words were hard and matter of fact, but then her tone became pleading . She stood up abruptly. "We have to go."

Leo gaped at her, the woman between momentarily forgotten but not.

"Karai, I don't have my phone. I can't call Donnie. I can't – I can't do anything. You have to call – we have to get help for her. We can't – we can't just LEAVE her" Leo's eyes swept over the woman again, and froze when he realized the woman was staring at him with wide, hazel gold eyes.

"Karai, I'm pulling these out – if we leave them they police will be looking for ninjas. Neither of us can afford that. But you have to call for help, you HAVE to." He tore his gaze from the woman and looked up at Karai. The young ninja's eyes seemed to rock back and forth with uncertainty. She reached into her belt and held her phone, but did nothing more. She stared at the device in her hand, and then glared at Leo, her eyes glinty and dark.

"This is YOUR fault. YOU fix it." She attempted to turn, but Leo snatched his hand out and roughly grabbed her wrist, causing her to release the cell phone in surprise. The small phone dropped, bouncing cruelly off of the prone woman's stomach and next to Leo's foot.

"Well if you hadn't – " but he didn't finish the sentence. "It doesn't matter." He quickly let go of Karai's wrist, practically shoving it away from him as he scooped up the phone and flipped it open roughly. He punched in 9-1-1 with his thumb.

"9-1-1. What is the nature of your emergency?" The male dispatcher sounded like a robot.

"Uh … yes…. A woman has been… um… stabbed." Leo's voice hitched awkwardly.

"Ok sir. I'm going to get some information from you and get help there right away. Can you tell me where you are? Can you tell me if you can see the injuries?"

"Yes. Yes!" Leo stuttered and then fell into the comfortable cadence of reporting information, like he did every night to his brothers. "I'm at the corner of 11th and uh Bleecher, right at the big brick building. She's um been stabbed three times. Get someone here now!" Leo flipped shut the phone just as Karai's fingers curled around the device and yanked it from his grasp.

"You… you have to help me" he said, lifting his eyes to her hardened ones. "I have to take the kunai out, or else… or else they could find you."

Karai's emerald eyes softened slightly, and her mouth formed a thin, firm line and she nodded stoically. She knelt back down next to the woman. The woman's eyes rolled from side to side slowly, almost lazily.

"What are…" the woman whispered.

"I'm…" Leo spoke quietly, and the woman's gaze returned to him. "I'm sorry."

He carefully wrapped his hand around the dagger in her thigh, unsure how much force to use to pull it out without causing more damage. He had the sudden thought that he had no idea what he was doing. He heard a ripping sound, and glanced over to see Karai cutting and tearing sections of the woman's sweatshirt hem and lower half in large chunks. Karai looked at him, and then down at the dagger he gripped, and nodded.

Gritting his teeth, Leo pulled the weapon straight up, feeling the vibration of the metal as it slid out of the muscle of the woman's leg. Immediately, Karai pounced on the wound, pressing down hard with a piece of the thick sweatshirt. Leo dropped the kunia on the sidewalk, and then shifted to grasp the one in the woman's shoulder. He avoided looking at her face as her breathing became more labored. He clenched his teeth again, and pulled straight up. Again, Karai attacked the wound, applying pressure immediately. Leo dropped the dagger, and sat back on his haunches, taking in the scene before him. The now open wounds were bleeding actively. Very, very faintly, he heard the high pitched whine of a siren. He knew time was running out. He sat back up, and leaned over the woman. He grasped the hilt of the last kunai with both hands, suddenly worried that this one would be harder to pull out. In the corner of his vision, he saw the woman watching him, her face contorted and twisted in pain.

"I'm sorry" he breathed out and then pulled the final dagger. As he pulled, he could feel the blade scrape and run against bone, and the sensation put his teeth on edge. This time, the woman gasped and began to moan, tears falling down the sides of her cheeks and into her hair. For a second, Leo stared at her – all of his senses on overdrive with the smell of blood and wet cement, the cold air stinging his throat, the increasing wail of the siren, the dark red of the blood moving and expanding as if it was alive.

He felt jostled, and then realized Karai was tugging at his shoulder.

"We have to go!" she pleaded, desperation lacing through her strong words. "Leo please."

Leo grabbed the three daggers and started to stand up, Karai's tugging having pulled him almost flush to the wall. The woman's eyes snapped open and looked up at him, confusion and pain racing through them.

"We – we called for help. They're coming. I'm so sorry. I'm so… I'm sorry" Leo muttered. He turned to go, but then turned back, kneeling quickly down to look the woman in the face.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Al…Allie" she whispered, and then rolled her eyes and then head towards the sound of the approaching siren, her left hand twitching again, as if she was trying to wave.

As Leo and Karai watched from the rooftop, they watched in silence. He had laid the three kunai on the rooftop, but Karai had given the weapons a wide berth, as if they were coiled rattlesnakes. They both watched as the paramedics applied further bandages, and exchanged confused glances when they couldn't find what had stabbed the woman anywhere. They watched as she was lifted into the back of the ambulance, and watched until the vehicle had faded from view. And then they watched up the empty street as its wail also faded into the stillness of the night. Neither of them looked down at the red stains in the snow.

Neither of them looked at the other as they parted, not a word spoken, but hundreds of unspoken uttered.


	2. LeoRaiWeek - Snow

Snow

Prompt: Leoraiweek's "snow"

Verse: 2014/2016

Tags: #leoraiweek

Although it was only late afternoon, the sun had already dipped low in the sky and night was creeping over the neighborhood. Covering the street, sidewalk, long driveway, yards and porch was a thick blanket of snow, piling 4 inches high. Soft and fluffy, the deep cold kept the snowflakes crisp as they continued to float lazily and silently through the sky. Shallow banks of snow rested on the window sills of the large, two story house, framing windows that glowed with light and warmth.

Honestly, it could have been a postcard picture.

One of the French doors on the back of house quietly clicked open, cutting a perfect arc in the fresh snow on the wide stone porch. The long curtains skirted along with the door, dancing up a bit as if trying to avoid the snow. Soft light poured out of the now open door, illuminating the two figures that stepped out into the wintry scene.

The dog was massive – almost all black with highlights of grey on her shoulders, along the ridge of her back, and marking the tips of her large, erect, triangular ears. Grey also circled her eyes and fanned out down her muzzle and partially over her cheeks, giving her the appearance of wearing a mask. Her dark brown eyes scanned the landscape as she trotted silently through the snow, tall enough that it barely reached past her ankles. Her long strides were confident, and her muscles rippled under the thick, double coat. At the shoulder, she stood an impressive 2 ½ feet tall and just under four feet long, hanging her head and tail level with her back. A large sled dog, built for pulling and jogging long distances, she was a very close cousin to the wolf, and could easily be mistaken for a very well-fed, bulky brethren. A predator, a powerhouse, and a protector.

The woman stood a few paces out from the door, and after a few moments, reached back and pulled the door shut. She stood in the snow, breathing in the cold air deeply and comfortably. Her wide green eyes, no longer as heavily encircled with black eyeliner as when in her youth, were sharp under her thick lashes. Her hair had grown down to past her shoulders. Although no longer shaven in spots or sporting large chunks of bright pink, low lights of ruby red and coral peeked through her tresses. Her black leggings and white tank top were taunt over sculpted muscles and a lithe form. She pulled her white pea-coat tighter around her body, and tied the belt at her hip. Over the past 15 years, her body had filled out powerfully and elegantly due to her dedication to her katas and increased time at the gym as she aged.

She lightly stepped through the snow to follow her dog. As she drew closer, her dog's intent gaze focused on her feet, watching small puffs of snow leap out in front of her advancing steps. The dog's tail began to slowly wag. She stopped and cocked her head at the canine, and then her lips curled in a half smile. She slowly bent at the waist, reaching down to the snow with bare hands. The dog's tail wagged more enthusiastically, and its brown eyes grew bright. Karai plunged her hands into the snow, paused for a moment smirking at her dog, and then threw two handfuls of snow straight up into the air.

The large animal reared up on her hind legs and watched the cascading snow with delight. As it descended, she danced around lightly, half jumping and skipping side to side. Karai threw another handful of snow in the air, and the dog bounced gleefully in the crystalline shower, throwing its head back and snapping playfully at the snowflakes. The dog watched Karai carefully, play bowing so its tail was straight up as it rested its front elbows on the ground. For the next several minutes, Karai continued to throw and kick up snow to the animal's sheer delight. The massive canine, for all its size and power, played like a puppy in the snowfall.

And Karai laughed. At first a giggle, and then a full bodied laugh erupted from her. She smiled broadly, and it was like she smiled with her entire face, her entire body. Tiny crow's feet appeared at the corners of her eyes, the newest addition to her appearance since turning 33 over the summer. She playfully chased the huge animal for a few paces. The dog jumped and skipped away from her, out farther and farther into the yard and further and further from the light and warmth of the house.

Karai stopped chasing and stood tall, enjoying the quiet of the moment. Heavier snowflakes brushed against her cheeks, and she shivered. She turned to walk back to the porch, but then twisted back around towards her dog. She whistled softly, but the dog didn't come. It stood ten feet away, wagging its tail and smiling. Karai whistled again and patted her thigh, but still the dog didn't come. Karai smiled and rolled her eyes good naturedly.

"Buryu….Let's go" she called softly. The massive dog took one last longing look at the piles of snow, and then trotted to its master. Karai patted the large head as the dog pressed itself against her, and then walked ahead, leading them back to the porch, content that no threats lurked in the cold and the impending darkness. She opened the porch door and Buryu slid past her silently into the house, shaking the twinkles of crisp snow from her fur. Karai stomped her feet and then stepped into the pool of light from the house, and gently pulled the door shut behind her.

Thousands of miles away, Leo smiled as he watched the wide screen before him. The picture was crystal clear thanks to some software updates from his much more tech savvy younger brother. He leaned back in the worn leather chair, rolling his large shoulders and cracking his back. His skin stretched over molded muscles, although not as bright a green as in his younger days. Faint white lines, scars, dappled his arms and legs, and scratches and pits in his shell were more visible now as the color had darkened to a more mottled brown. In the past year or so, he couldn't sit as long in front of the computer screen before he had to stretch to prevent stiffness. Too many hard years on his body from fighting and training, and with age his physique had only been honed more sharply as a weapon. But even the best weapon aged.

He didn't check in on her as much anymore, but no matter how often or infrequent, he always felt the same contentment when he watched her, even if for just a few minutes. He still smiled at the screen, his warm blue eyes glowing with gentle and long-standing affection. As he reached up to click off the screen, he chuckled softly as realization struck him. His eyes took on a layer of tenderness.

"She named her Buryu. Blue."


	3. LeoRaiWeek - Dating

Dating

Verse: 2014/2016-ish

"Dude… that girl is sooooo weird," the cashier with moppy brown hair hissed to his coworker as he approached from the ticket counter. Both 19 years old, the two couldn't be more different – one with the long brown hair and slightly red, bleary brown eyes and lanky stature, the other with spiky blonde hair, clear grey eyes and athletic build. Not missing a step, Grey Eyes glanced back over his shoulder at the woman who had just bought two tickets and was now making her way past the fraying velvet ropes to the hallway of movie theatre rooms. She had chin length jet black hair with chunks of bright pink highlights framing her face, her wide green eyes striking against her pale complexion. She wore black leggings and knee high black leather boots, a dark blue top and white leather jacket. She hadn't reacted or responded when he tries to flirt with her, asking what she needed the second ticket for. Instead she had lightly snatched it from the counter, turned on her heel and walked away. She had looked young, but he got the definite impression she was older than she initially looked.

"Whaddya mean? She seems OK," he shrugged, swinging the half door open and shut as he joined Brown Eyes behind the food counter. "Maybe a little lonely."

"No way man!" Brown Eyes insisted, waving his hands dramatically in the air. "TO-tally weird! You like just started last week so like, you have no idea" he concluded dismissively. Grey Eyes wrinkled his nose as he caught the distinct whiff of weed from his late night companion.

"OK ok – so get this. Here's what it is man. She has come here for years, like even before my time so like for a long time now. Almost every Wednesday night, like clockwork. Well like sorta clockwork if the clock wasn't like always on time but like almost always. Only ever for the last show of the night. I swear man, I HATE working the nights she's here!" Brown Eyes leaned over the counter and peered suspiciously down the hallway where she had disappeared into the second to last theatre on the left.

"Why?" Grey Eyes asked, trying to appear bored.

"First?" Brown Eyes snapped to attention and raised his index finger to count off. "Never get to shut down early. Second – " his middle finger now joined his index, "She's like….. haunted." His bloodshot eyes darted around theatrically, and then he hugged himself and shivered.

Grey Eyes chuckled, and taking on a more than slightly patronizing tone, rolled his eyes again.

"First weird…. Now haunted?! Come on man, stop smoking at work. Your brain is gonna get stuck in permanent idiot mode" he scoffed.

"Dude?! What?! You can NOT say she isn't cree – "

Brown Eyes is cut off by the sudden 'whoosh' of both sets of doors in their lobby. One set of lights goes out, plunging half of the lobby and both counters into darkness. Reflexively, the two boys duck under the counter. A display of collector popcorn cartons topples over, spilling cartons, popcorn, and cardboard across the floor. A whisper of a gust of air slips overhead. A dull thud sounded from farther down the hallway. And then silence. The boys held their breath, and a few seconds later the lights winked back on and the doors 'whoosh' closed again.

The boys peek over the counter, their eyes rounded and child-like. Each looked around slowly, and eventually they end up staring at each other. Both stand back up and feign confidence.

"I TOLD you dude!" Brown Eyes slapped Grey Eyes in the stomach with the back of his hand. "Weird AND creepy."

Grey Eyes rolls his eyes again, with less conviction, and sighs.

"Rock paper scissors for the display clean up?"

Karai sat in the theatre as the previews thundered. She didn't hear the dull thud of the theatre door as Leo slipped inside, and she had to stop herself from startling when he was suddenly next to her. He laid a twin size mattress on the floor next to her seat, half on the floor and the other half propped against the seat behind him. He made a bit of a show of getting settled, shifting several times and pulling at his new pants so that he wasn't sitting on any wrinkles. Eventually, he gave a small huff and stretched his long muscular legs out in front of him, crossing his ankles. With this shell laid back against the mattress and straightening up, even sitting on the floor he was able to be eye level with her.

"You know one of these days you should let that one kid see you," Karai teased, reaching over to lightly rub the back of his neck, gently tossing the ends of his mask out of the way. Forgetting the previews, she looked over at him and studied his stunning and surreal profile in the flickering light. She watched his lips tilt into a half smile as he dropped his head, shook it slightly and sighed before raising it up again to look at her. Her green eyes were filled with affection and coyness. For a moment he just looked at her in the changing light.

"He smokes enough weed I don't think he'd even bat an eye at me," he chuckled softly. "As long as that prep wanna-be doesn't try to ask you out" he said, cocking an eye ridge at her, leaning closer so that their foreheads touched lightly.

She rolled her eyes playfully, then tipped her chin up and gave him a quick, chaste kiss.

"Nothing gets to break our tradition," she said softly. "We've been having our movie dates here for three years." He smiled warmly at her, and then wrapped his large arm around her slender shoulders, hugging her over to him over the arm chair of her seat.

"Yep – gotta keep the _normal_ alive," he chirped, and then turned his attention to the screen, resting his cheek on the top of her head. Karai sighed contently, and rested her check against his shoulder.


	4. LeoRaiWeek - Evil Alternative Universe

Shadows

Verse: 2014/2016-ish

Intro: Over time, none of them could really remember when the conversations of leaving Splinter's tutelage started – but they all agreed the loudest voice was always Leo's. When they turned 18, hardened from living underground, in the darkness, the four brothers left the lair one last time – together. It took some time, but they established themselves in the gang and crime infested burroughs of NYC. Now, the police were bringing together a new, special task force with international consultants to assist them in cornering the most ruthless, talented, and successful mob they had ever encountered in the city. No one, not even their arrested street muscle dared speak names. Other mobs and gangs bowed to them, and no one could be threatened enough to rat them out or give up much information. Sophisticated, well-funded, tech savvy, organized, and with a violent reputation the Shadows had completely reshaped the underbelly of NYC, and the police felt helpless. But actual reports were slim, so how much they actually knew was unknown. In 3 years, the group had grown exponentially and although an assumption of violence existed, some cops were starting to question if even that was just another illusion.

The information was sparse at best, but over 3 years, they had compiled bits and pieces of history and descriptions:

Chatterbox – The jokester recruiter, known to be affable, friendly, and wildly unpredictable. Always joking, but there were stories that his punchlines came with real punches. He charmed recruits from both the streets and high society prep schools. No recruiter had even been so successful or so adored.

Don Techie – Originally a sly and silent cyber presence, he had grown more confident and cocky in the past two years, with the chops to back it up. Now completing all of his work with a digital signature, he could never be traced. Equally adept at hacking private security and public infrastructures, he had a penchant for money races and explosives.

Brawn – Head of the street muscle and main enforcer for the organization. Although known to carry a variety of weapons, the story went that he didn't even need them to intimidate even the most veteran thug or upper echelon mobster. Loud, sarcastic, and a tower of power, no one knew how truly violent or aggressive he could be.

Commander – Most secretive of all, he was known to be intelligent, organized, and lethal when necessary (at least if you believe the stories). He was the conductor of the whole operation and demanded complete loyalty. It was generally agreed that The Leader was the most feared of all.

Six weeks ago, the task force hired Agent Karai, a specialist on Japanese organized crime and street gangs as a consultant. Young, beautiful, and trained in martial arts, she felt ready and maybe even a bit overconfident that she could not only track them, but could ultimately bring The Shadows down.

"Leo"

He tapped his Bluetooth earpiece, not breaking eye contact with the 50-some year old man seated in front of him.

"Go," he stated evenly.

"She's on your six, 2 blocks south on a rooftop near the corner of Bleecher. Definitely her from facial recognition," his genius brother said, his cadence slightly staccato and clipped. "Seems to be making a beeline for you."

"I can be en route and ready in 8 minutes," the largest brother huffed across the line. "Just gotta finish up a little…. Business" and a dull thud could be heard in the background.

"Keep on schedule Raph," Leo said cooly. "I haven't been out for a few weeks, I could use some time on the rooftops." Then he smiled faintly and added "And we talked about your 'talking' with the cops. You know you're cut off."

"Suite yerself," came the grumbled answer from the bulky middle brother.

Leo continued to stare with icy blue eyes at the man seated in front of him. His large right index finger was under the man's chin, pushing up his chin to an extreme angle. The man fidgeted, and the fine muscles in his face and neck twitched and trembled from fatigue, pain and fear. Sweat ran down his face and soaked the collar of his name-brand, navy suit. He smelled like panic.

"Our appointment is over," Leo spoke through gritted teeth. He leaned in close, breathing hotly on the man's ashen face. He jabbed his right finger up, forcing the man to look directly into his large, piercing eyes. "And I'd think about your options if I were you. Because if I have to come down here again, you aren't going to like what I whip out."

Leo dropped his hand suddenly, and the man's chin fell to his chest. Leo stood up to his full height, 6 foot 4 inches, his arm muscles tense and rippling under his green skin, faint white scar lines dappling him from his hands to his neck. One scar line, slightly thicker than the others, ran over his left eye. His black pants hung loose on his hips, and the worn, dark leather of his chest harness creaked. He gave the man one more long, hard, glare, and then melted into the darkness and shadows of the abandoned building, setting himself on course to introduce himself to the new police consultant.

"I love it when you talk dirty," a mocked feminine voice cooed in his ear, followed by a deeper giggle.

"Shut UP Mikey," the other three brothers retorted in unison.

Karia stood at the edge of the brick rooftop. She had climbed up the five stories on the fire escape. She had gleaned from the short stack of information that the neighborhood was possibly new ground for The Shadows, and she wanted to get a better lay and feel of the area. She leaned against the edge and took in the middle class apartments and low-level luxury stores. Not the typical gang or mob ground she was used to. Her wide green eyes glittered with intelligence, her black hair swept to one side with bright pink highlights peeking through the long tresses. She wore slim fitting black cargo pants, a grey non-descript shirt, and a short white leather jacket. Pocketed in her pants was an array of kunai, throwing stars, her baton, and a short sword. The early evening was still relatively bright, and she could see several blocks in both directions. Various buildings cut dark shadows and crevices into the landscape, including areas of the rooftop she was standing on.

"I wondered how long it would be before they sent their fancy new pet out into the big, bad city."

Karai startled at the deep, rumbling voice. She whipped around, instinctively pressing her back against the ledge and locking her knees and hips low. The rooftop was empty.

"Wha-? Who's there?" she demanded strongly. Her heavily lashed eyes squinted towards the various pockets of darkness, but she didn't see anyone. Her right hand inched towards the top pocket of her pants, and she stood poised and ready.

"But you are a much prettier pet than I expected." The same voice, deep and masculine. It came from her left now but she could have sworn it was to her right a moment ago. She swiveled her head in time to see the once invisible form step into the lowering light of the early evening. Her eyes widened as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

He was taller than her, easily by at least a foot to her 5 foot 4 inches frame. He wore black cargo pants, similar to hers, and large black boots. His belt was gun metal dark gray, and rested low on his hips. He didn't wear a shirt, and had pale brown plates over his stomach and up his chest. His broad shoulders were rounded and carved with muscle, and his muscular arms were long and hung steady as he strode a few paces towards her. Across his chest slung a dark leather harness, reaching across from his right shoulder to under his left arm, with another piece over his left shoulder. A small blue button said "NYC", and over his shoulders she could see the long hilts of two swords. His body formed a balanced 'V". But his face drew her attention the most.

He definitely wasn't human, but he had human qualities. He was bald, with a large chiseled jaw. His skin was a mottled green with multiple shades intermingling, however his face was a slightly lighter more clear green. His lips were pressed in a straight line, and his eyes were a defiant ice blue. Around his eyes, dark blue ink had been tattooed to look like a tattered mask. The tattoo wrapped around both eyes and to the sides of his head, down the side of his neck and splayed across his shoulder. His eyes shined brightly and glittered harshly. His posture was casual, but she sensed the danger of him – coiled and ready to strike.

Karai tried to regain her composure, but kept her guard up. She had talked to hundreds of gang members and mobsters, and was used to them underestimating or dismissing her due to her size and charm.

"I'm no one's pet," she stated flatly and tried to relax her stance.

He rolled his eyes and strode up to her casually.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself," and he smiled. He studied her intently, his eyes flitting over her face, hair and body. His eyes lingered on hers, and she felt herself blush slightly from the attention. "I guess you were taking in the sights of the new playground," he said, sweeping his hand out over towards the edge of the rooftop.

"So you are one of them!" Karai slipped her hand into a pocket, grabbing two throwing stars. She flicked her wrist sending the weapons towards him. She slid back several steps to get distance between the two of them. Her heart jumped and she readied herself for anything and unsheathed her hidden short sword.

Just as fast, he twisted his wrist and flipped his forearm out and across his chest – the stars bouncing with a metallic tink-tink off of a long dagger he had concealed in a wrist wrap. For a moment he studied her further, and then a slow half grin creased his stoic face.

"Pet's got a little bark," he mused, cocking an eye ridge at her. He seemed amused, but also intrigued. Casually, slowly, he reached over his shoulder and unsheathed a long sword, rolling his wrist so it twirled in a blur. He regarded the katana, and then his icy gaze returned to her.

"But does she have any bite?"

In three long strides he was upon her. He advanced coolly but aggressively, and she was left on the defense. His strikes were calculated and meticulous and precise. As she could catch glances of his face, he seemed almost bored, but at times amused. Karai grunted softly with the effort, knowing she was going to be overtaken by this much larger opponent in such close combat. She gave in ground, scrambling backwards to get distance between them again. She dodged a strike for her left shoulder, and used the momentum to side cartwheel farther away. He didn't follow. She straightened up, breathing hard from the exertion.

He cocked his head at her, confidence and danger emanating from him. He twirled his katana once, and then smoothly sheathed it. He crossed his arms, and returned to his casual demeanor, popping his left hip out and giving her a crooked smile under venomous blue eyes.

"So pet…. What's your name?" He crooned at her, and lifted an eye ridge.

Karai hesitated, and then sheathed her own sword. She felt far enough away that she could run or bug out down the fire escape if need be. She was scared, but also didn't want to miss this opportunity.

"You first," she countered, imitating his relaxed pose.

"Oh RIGHT!" he snapped his fingers dramatically. "You don't know my name because the cops don't know my name. Or anyone's name. Doesn't seem like a very solid case to work on pet."

She couldn't stop herself from glaring at him. His casualness and cool pricked under her skin.

"We know more than you think," she found herself bluffing.

He scoffed, shaking his head, clearly amused.

"We know what the cops know. And more importantly," he held her gaze steadily, "I know what the cops don't know. And the scales are pretty tipped in our favor." He began to lazily pace, and she couldn't help thinking of a black panther, his sculpted muscles rippling with movement. He walked in half circles, slowly closing the gap between them. She forced herself not to budge, not to give in to the temptation to pull out her blade again or to take a step back as he advanced towards her. As she watched, her heart thudded hard against her ribs. She watched his eyes closely as he drew nearer.

She stood her ground defiantly even as all her body screamed for her to turn, to run, to put as much distance between herself and him as possible. She stayed rooted to the spot, and a very small, quiet voice in the back of her head tried to tell her that he wouldn't hurt her.

He closed the space between them, and stood less than 3 inches from her. He gazed down at her, and reached out with his left hand. He only had three fingers, thick and large. Karai forced herself to hold his gaze as his hand slowly came towards her face. She tried to not gulp too loudly. She felt the presence of his hand near her cheek, almost touching. But then his eyes flitted to her hair, and his fingers followed. He lightly lifted and almost brushed the hair off of her shoulder, and she couldn't help the slight shiver that ran through her from the 'almost' touch. His eyes returned to hers, and the blue seemed clouded over and stormy.

"I'd like to know your name."

"Karai."

He nodded, acknowledging the information and stood quietly, his fingers still gently touching her hair and tracing the pink high lights.

"Karai," he said softly, gazing intently at her. "Are you the pet that's going to take me down?" He leaned down closer, filling her gaze with only him.

"Yes?" her voice came out much softer than she had intended, and she felt caught by him and unable to tear her gaze away from his piercing eyes. He smiled softly at her, and leaned forward more, bringing his mouth next to her ear.

"I look forward to that," he whispered.

And then he was gone. With barely a sound, he disappeared, and she was left, trembling, in the advancing darkness of the evening. The shadows stretched towards her, and she stood there, shivering from fear, and dare she admit, excitement.


End file.
